The invention relates to the automated dispensing of a carbonated beverage into open containers.
The present invention arose during ongoing efforts by the inventor to improve carbonated beverage dispensing systems. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,603,363 entitled "Apparatus For Dispensing A Carbonated Beverage With Minimal Foaming", issuing on Feb. 18, 1997, and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,732 issuing on Oct. 22, 1996, both incorporated herein by reference, the inventor discloses systems for dispensing carbonated beverage, such as beer or soda, into an open container. The system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,603,363 discloses the bottom filling of carbonated beverage into an open container which minimizes foaming. U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,732 discloses the use of a bar code reader to read indicia on the open container when placed beneath the nozzle that indicates volume of the open container in order to automate the dispensing procedure, and preferably various aspects of on site accounting and inventory procedures. In these systems, the carbonated beverage is dispensed from a nozzle that has an outlet port placed near the bottom of the open container, i.e. the open container is bottom filled. In addition to bottom filling, these systems control the dispensing pressure of the carbonated beverage as well as its temperature in order to minimize foaming. In the above incorporated U.S. patents, the dispensing pressure was controlled by maintaining the pressure of the carbonated beverage to be dispensed at atmospheric pressure. In particular, the carbonated beverage is held in a vented chamber prior to dispensing in order to maintain the pressure at atmospheric pressure.
Sometimes it is desirable to control the amount of foaming, rather than simply minimize the amount of foaming. For example, when serving malt beverages such as beer, the presentation of the beer including the size of the head and the temperature of the beer are important factors relating to the drinkability of the beer. Experienced bartenders take great pride in serving beer having the proper presentation. The skill of pouring and creating timely foaming or turbulence in the beverage is quite an art which few have perfected.